A Story From The Past
by Kuroesu
Summary: A story about the ancestors of the current champions. All critique would be highly appreciated
1. Prologue

The Institue of War. 2 champions were sitting in the lobby, other one napping and the other one was practicing.  
Fiora was training with a spar partner from Demacia. In the nearby corner, there was a table and set of chairs, where one of them had a man napping, his hat pulled on his eyes. He was leaning backwards to the wall, which stopped the chair from falling over.

- "Haa!" Fiora yelled and lunged towards her target. A crash from the corner was heard and Fiora had her sparring partner in the tip of her blade.

- "That's enough for today. I'll see you tomorrow as well. The man nodded and started to walk away.

- "You spooked me there." Said the man getting up from the floor.

- "I fell off my chair 'cause of you, right in the middle of my nicest dream."

- "No doubt it was about women though. Womanizer!" He brushed off some dust from his hat before putting it on his head.

- "Now, now. Why couldn't it have been about card game? Imagine, having all-in with only one other player in. You have 2 aces and 3 queens."

- "You would win it. Or then you wouldn't play that hand."

- "You know me well, now don't you? Though there was one time I played without cheating, or trying to predict the luck of others. But I was drunk then as well..."

- "Yes. You were playing against Sona, word got around quickly. And you have no idea how many people are ready to kill you because you disappeared with her. Lots of men know your reputation."

- "And you can easily shape the truth, right? Why are you so mad at me? Were you a fan of her as well? I can play cards for her, if you want to?"

- "That's the part I don't like in you. And I believe your fighting tactics are that of a dirty scoundrel. Yet you have a costume of a musketeer? How on earth did you get that?"

- "I would have a word about my fighting tactics, but well.. Lets jump to your question. I found it in some old stuff I had. I believe it belonged to my grandfather. Don't you have a musketeer costume of some kind as well?"

- "Yes. It was my grandmother's."

- "Ooh? Now wouldn't it be fun to find out that our ancestors had something going between them and we would be..."

- "Don't! Even. Say. It." Fiora had her sword aimed at Twisted Fate.

- "I have no desire to have any blood ties to you."

- "Well, having blood ties to me would make lots of dreams shatter for some girls... How about dinner sometim..." Sona had appeared out of nowhere and was grabbing Fate's arm. She tried to pull him away, which didn't succeed until TF decided to play along her.

- "So her fans didn't get worried for nothing, I see..." Fiora pointed out before they disappeared through the door way.


	2. A Story From The Past

I was guarding at the town entrance. Or a camp entrance, this place wasn't really that big, most of the buildings resembled tents more or less, with some exceptions, for example, the town hall, few shops and a hotel.

- "Damn Noxians. Why would you be interested in such a small town? There's no way our spies would be wrong..." As I kept thinking it, I left down my guard and when I noticed the approaching danger, it was already too late to call for help. 10 Noxian elites, all with their own subordinates, easily a few dozen men. And they got to surround me.

- "There's 1 woman here defending this town from us? Is the Demacia running out of troops? Figures... Considering the fact that you're facing the all-mighty Noxus!"

- "Are ya scared, little girl?" They mocked and taunted me. Easy for them to laugh when there's so many of them.

- "Of course not! I'm just thrilled for the challenge, so come on! Fight me!" I knew I wasn't able to beat them all, but maybe I would be able to take out enough of them to retreat after getting me or then they will get defeated in the city. I have few soldiers there, but they can barely hold off for one normal soldier. Demacia underestimated this, and so did I... They charged towards me. For everyone I downed, it seemed that there were still two to cut right after them. I soon got exhausted, and I'd most likely die soon. There's still too many of them, they'll accomplish their objective, whatever it was. Two of them jumped at me. I close my eyes and prepared for the worst, I had no strength left. I felt my moment coming closer, I tried to shut down my eyes even more. I don't know how long it was, but it felt like an eternity, there were no pain, I felt nothing different. I opened my eyes a little. Two men who had jumped on me were lying on the ground, lifeless. I noticed that there were a lot more Noxians on the ground, to be more precise, there were only 7 alive. All were running, screaming in terror.

I looked around me, trying to search for my defenders. I saw no troops at all, but after a while I saw a silhouette of a man with wide-brimmed hat leaning on a tree. He was polishing his sword with a piece of fabric. A piece of fabric torn from a Noxian soldier's uniform.

- "I am sorry to grant you disappointment. Though you seemed so ready for your death, I decided to step in and stop it. I hope you are not too mad at me, Miss Laurent".

- "You! What are you doing here? I thought it was only me and few soldiers under my command."

- "Oh, my. Who do you think found out about this interest of Noxians towards this town? You can only guess how worried I got after I came back to Demacia only to found out they had sent you here alone with few soldiers. A low class ones, if I may say so."

- "You talk way too much. But thank you for saving me. I thought I was a goner there."

- "A part of my soul will die the day a beautiful lady like you dies, when I would have been able to do something for it."

- "Stop your flattering, you will not "conquer" me."

- "I would never speak of such a vulgar thing. Those are just rumors, I tell you."

- "Those rumors move around a lot. Most of Demacia believes them. Actually, most of Demacian women would even prove for it."

- "When would I have the time to be in Demacia, charming women? I must be in Noxus as much as I can. And the women of Noxus... I've never seen such barbarians. The class does get upper when you reach the aristocracy class. But I have no time for them, unfortunately. And most of them are not single, and I can't put my investigations and relations in Noxus at danger."

- "Like I said, you talk too much. Let me buy you a drink. I guess it's the least I can do to repay you."

- "I must say that, that sounds a cheap way to repay someone. But I'll be delighted to accompany you, what-so-ever."After I sent the next guard to watch the entrance, though I doubt they would attack so soon after such a defeat, we walked to the one tavern the town had. We ordered 2 beers, though one of us would've wanted wine.

- "You don't seem to be the kind of guy who could take out so many Noxian soldiers. And causing the few surviving ones to flee in such horror... And how come you except a tavern like this to have wine for you?

- "The one who asks, shall not regret, my dear."

- "Stop that. I will seriously punch you if you get on my nerves too much."

- "To think that a woman who looks like you, and has one of the finest families in Demacia, yet you talk like that. This war has changed you. I remember when you were still just a jeune fille."

- "You're not much older than me. Calling me young girl like that makes it sound like you'd be in your fifties..."

- "You still do remember languages."

- "I probably know them more and better than you."

- "That would not surprise me. After all, I come from a humble family of mere gypsies."

- "No one would believe it if you were just to tell it. You give the impression of an aristocrat."

- "It is required in order to manage on soldier career. Or then you must really come from an important family, like you, from the family of Laurent, or that Crownguard-family. I hear they have been serving Demacia for centuries."

- "Wasn't it possible they have noticed you? There were elites among them... Some of them have access to high relations."

- "Oh, please, do you think an elite with such connections would run away in such horror? I killed the ones who would tell me out, the ones who escaped have no chance of revealing my true allegiance."

- "But I still wonder, why are you so obsessed with cards? Those two who almost killed me had cards in their back. Wouldn't a dagger or something like that be better for the purpose? Or then use your sword only, you're an expert swordsman as well after all..."

- "Cards are easier to throw faster. And why do you think I go by the name of "Wild Card"?"

- "True, I think no one really knows your true name?"

- "Wild Card is my true name now."

- "Yeah, yeah... Or did your parents give you an embarrassing name? Is that why you're not revealing it?

- "Oh, no, no, no. I simply like the name Wild Card. Besides, don't you think you have to be pretty good at it when you get a nickname for it?"

- "Maybe... But I guess we'll have to keep guarding."

- "Actually, no. I'm here to take what the Noxians want."

- "You know what it is?"

- "Not yet..."

- "Then it's guard duty for you. I'm too exhausted from the attack before." I winked, though unintentionally. He didn't seem to pay attention to it and only accepted my command and went outisde.

Musketeer, huh? He joined as a street rat. After joining, he truly put the Demacian library to use. He studied manners, history, philosophy, combat, arts, artistic combat, psychology and all other stuff he could find. The result was a self-confident gentleman who was aware of all the manners and etiquette. But he naturally had the charm for it. I learned it well in the few weeks I spent with him when he was investigating what the Noxians wanted.

After 2 months he came to my office, seeming rather worried.

- "Miss Laurent! I'm afraid I bring you terrible news."

- "Sit down and relax. I'm not used to seeing you so worried." He was catching his breath. What was so important that he ran here? I'm pretty sure he just walked here from Demacia, knowing that I might be in danger.

- " *Pant*... *Pant*... N-noxus... It's Noxus! They're gathering troops few miles from this village. There're soldiers, generals, captains, summoners and warmachines! They're seriously trying to get what they want!"

- "My God... Is the Demacia doing nothing?"

- "They're sending more troops, but unless the Noxus holds off their attack for no reason, they will not get here on time."

- "What about my soldiers? And your group of musketeers they sent here a week ago?"

- "Your soldiers are scared, they know that there's probably over couple of thousand soldiers there. There's only 300 men here now. 100 musketeers, who could probably fight off to 200-400 enemies, depending on the enemies skills. 200 soldiers directly under your command, none of them having the higher rank than that of a recruit..."

- "The situation does look bad... Okay, we have to evacuate the citizens and start building defenses, we can only try to hold them off as long as we can. Hopefully the reinfocements will come soon enough to stop them from getting what the Noxians want."

- "You predict that they will not come here on time for us to survive?"

- "You said so yourself, didn't you?"

- "Yes. I did, but I would not throw the hope away. I already commanded my musketeers to evacuate the citizens, and your soldiers are doing their best building defenses."

After the citizens had escaped to the nearby forest and mountains, me and Wild Cards approached our defenses. It was well built, and could lead us to victory if we would've been facing a mere 100 soldiers more than us. But 302 troops against couple of thousand units? These defenses will only buy time.

- "Hah! 102 musketeers and 200 soldiers against 2000 Noxian soldiers? How easily do they think they can defeat us? Lets show them the power of Demacia!" Wild Cards tried to encourage the men. Surprisingly it seemed to work, men started raising their weapons and started to shout. I guess having the legendary Wild Card among us does raise the morale by his self presence. And I wasn't completely unknown either, I must agree. The first Noxians marched on our sight. Some of the men started cursing, some started praying and some just looked in horror. That wouldn't even be them all.

- "I guess this is hopeless after all..." I whispered to Card.

- "Wait some time before judging things so easily. You did the same when you got attacked. I believe you could've beaten them all, but you decided that it was not possible. To accept defeat, is the same as surrendering."

- "Have I said it before? Anyway, I'll say it now, you talk too much. Try to say things more shortly, please?"

- "Of course, m'lady.

Some of my soldiers started to raise their muskets to aim. Wild Cards and other musketeers lowered their weapons for some reason. Don't tell me he is planning to surrender to save our hides? No... That would not be possible. He must be planning something. Wild Cards raised his arm, with his palm open. The musketeers seemed to wake up from their relaxed waiting. What made them so relaxed? Why did they wake up so suddenly?

- "Hey! I'm one of the musketeers as well, I have the right to know of this plan as wel..."

- "Annnd... Right about now. He interrupted me and closed his hand into a fist. The musketeers started to act and I noticed some were carrying torches, and some were cutting ropes. Catapults and... Oil? Where did the oil trail lead to? The catapults shot fiery projectiles towards the enemy. I followed the oil trail. Some of the catapult shots hit the long hay that was growing in the area where they were approaching from. The oil trail led to same place. The noxians screamed in pain and fear as they and their friends burnt to crisp.

- "That's the spirit! his is what you get from threatening Demacia!"

- "Charge! Now, now, now! When they're still shocked!" Wild Cards gave commands as I admired his plan coming true. That easily cut down few hundreds of numbers. All of them might not have died, but a large amount was incapable to keep on fighting. Musketeers aimed their pistols at the enemies as they charged towards them. A cloud of smoke appeared and a large "bang" was heard when they fired their weapons in complete synch. Some of my soldiers were charging against the enemy as well, with some staying behind the defenses, shooting with their muskets afar. Musketeers focused on killing the enemy mages, while killing the normal soldiers while at it. Wild Cards was in the middle of the fight, he threw his cards faster than I thought would've been possible, I'm not sure how many cards he threw at once, but it seemed like he kept throwing one for every troop there was a difference between us.  
He ran through the battlefield, throwing his cards and "dancing" with his sword. That's what I would call it, a dance. Of death, he moved elegantly through the enemies, cutting them down one by one, while throwing cards at the distant enemies. That sight raised the morale more than anything, it seemed like our men got a sudden surge of power, slashing down their enemies. Mages were running away from the musketeers hard hunt. Most of their tricks were already known to the musketeers, which made many horror images planted in their heads only stay for a moment. I cut down the enemies as well, and it looked like they were running out of troops.

Until I heard a horn. In front of us I saw a force bigger than before marching towards us, hundred of catapults firing at us from the distance, mages laying down fiery hells and icy floors. Wild Cards raised his hand to catch the attention of his musketeers and charged towards the enemy with a loud warcry. The musketeers obediently followed him. And so did I and many of my men. Even the ones staying behind the defenses advanced to get clearer shots on the enemy. We were missing the mages, but we had musketeers with the mastery in both sword-wielding and gun-mastery, which evened out our troops quite a lot. I followed right after him to the middle of the enemy troops, slashing down any enemy who was close enough, grabbing the body of an enemy, to protect myself from gunshot and charge towards the shooter.  
The enemies started to gather around us, after all, for 2 soldiers to kill so many enemies so easily was not acceptable for them. As I charged towards the enemies, I stopped myself for a moment, looking to a nearby hill with a big tree on it. Under the three was standing a boy, with a big raven on it's shoulder. He stared over us, and it seemed like the kid's eyes started to glow red, and the raven seemed to be... Happy about it? Then suddenly they vanished like a wind. But I still felt that evil stare, like it would stare into my soul and kill me from inside.

- "Hey! Focus on the battle!" I heard Wild Card's voice and saw a soldier charging at me with his sword aimed for my heart. There was nothing I could do, he was too close. Any attempt to dodge it would still make it hit my body fatally. Who was the boy? Will we win this fight? Will the reinforcements arrive in time? All those questions... To think they will remain unanswered. I felt a tear run down my cheek. I closed my eyes and prepared for my cold fate. I escaped it once already... To think the second time would come this soon...

- "Aagh!" I heard a scream of pain, yet I felt nothing.

I opened my eyes and saw the wide back of Wild Card in front of me. I saw the tip of the blade that had come through his cape. He turned his head around and looked at me with sadness in his eyes.

- "H-how... Many times... Am I... S... Supposed to... Save you?" After saying that he vomited blood and fell on the ground. The man who was charging at me a moment ago was now laughing at his other kill.

- "Foolish man! He sacrificed himself... Uugh..." He didn't get to finish his sentence, there was a sword in throat stopping the noise from coming out. I was fully in rage and had no memory of what happened during the next few moments, I only waltzed around enemies, gutting everyone who got in my way. Soon the attention was brought on me and waves of enemies came swarming on me. After few enemies slained, the rest started to become uneasy by the fact that they weren't able to touch me, yet they already lost so many to my sword. Soon there was a sound of horn again. I woke up from my rage and started to prepare myself for the next wave of enemies. No doubt this would be the last for me. I had suffered much damage already, a surprise I was still standing. When I looked up from the ground, preparing to see hordes of enemies charging at us, instead I saw the sight of Noxians retreating, they were blowing the retreat signal with their horns. Tired men looked as they ran away. Sunlight came down through the clouds and revealed the burnt land, with the toppings of blood, organs and corpses of enemies and allies alike. Demacian reinforcements were heading down from the hill. The group was led by the head of the Crownguard-family. He commanded the medics to go help the wounded and told the soldiers to go gather the dead ones. Including Noxians. I snapped out of the relief I got by the retreating Noxians and remembered Wild Card. I ran to the spot where he was stabbed and went down on my knees when I saw him in the ground. I rested his head on to my lap and tried to wake him up.  
The clouds soon covered the sun and it started to rain. The rain washed the land from the blood and refreshed the exhausted soldiers. The villagers were returning from the forests and mountains.

- "Why... Are you crying, dear? T... The tears don't suit your beauti...ful face... Please... Smile... For me, please?... Fulfill my... las...t...wish..."

- "No! You can not die! The enemy has retreated! We won! The villagers are safe! I... I am safe! Please! Stay alive, you can not die here! Not against these Noxian scum!" Tears ran down my cheeks as he grew paler and paler. The head of the Crownguard-family came to my side and grabbed my shoulder.

- "No... *sniff* No! He must be saved! Command your medics, I beg you! He sacrificed himself for me! I blacked out in the fight, he did nothing wrong!" He pressed me against his chest, and I cried, I only cried for the next hour. Other musketeers gathered around him and kept silent, they took off their hats and kept them close to their chest. They were not happy by the victory, most of them was trained by this man. The medics started to carry him away. They covered his face with a blanket.

It had been 2 months from the battle near the village. I approached the hospital and walked the same path I had done many times in these past two months. I entered a room filled with darkness. There was a man, his skin was pale, oh, so pale. He was breathing, though they still haven't been able to wake him up from his coma-like state. I had come here every day for 2 months. Hoping he'd wake up. For 62 days, I have left the hospital disappointed. I still cried at nights, fearing that he might not wake up. I took a chair and sat next to him. The nurse looked at me with sympathy and left the room. She has been nursing him for the 2 months he's been here. I remember how happy I was to hear that he did stay alive. And how disappointed I got after finding out what state he was in.

Two and a half months. I walked the path like I've been doing everyday for a while nurse gave me her sympathized look like she had done for a while now.  
His skin wasn't so pale anymore. Actually, it has gotten back it's dark tone. He must've spent a lot of time outside to get a skin colored like that. Or maybe it ran in his blood? I don't know how his father looked, nor how did her mother. Did he have any other family than them. I tried to investigate it on my free time, but there was barely nothing of his family. But I only had his current name: "Wild Card" to search... There's not a single mention about his real name in the documents I found. Did he hide them? Does the city-state of Demacia even know his real name?

- "I-is that you, Miss Laurent?" I heard a weak voice coming from the bed.

- "A-are you finally awake!? You're not just my imagination, are you? I'll kill you if you're part of my imagination."

- "Yeah... It's you Miss Laurent... Hehehe... *Cough* *Cough*"

- "A-are you okay?"

- "Considering that I've been close to death for... What? Half a month?"

- "Two and a half months, actually."

- "What!? Really? I didn't except that such a soldier could hit so good... Well, anyway, I'm good otherwise, but my mouth's a bit dry... Could you give me a drink?"

- "Of course!" I poured water from the bottle at his nightstand and offered him the glass.

- "Thank you." He drank it, and enjoyed every drip of it, like it would've been the finest of wine.

After he had drank enough, he turned to me.

- "I'm glad to be able to see you again."

- "S-so am I..."

- "Oh? That was unexpected... But it makes me happy."

- "Apparently you forgot what happened when the battle ended..." I whispered silently.

- "Huh? Did you say something?"

- "Nothing! Nothing at all! Ahahahaa..."

- "Okay, if that's what you say. I assume we won?"

- "Yes... We thought you were dead after the battle, after few days I found out you survived, and when I came to see you... You were still lying around, the same way you did after the battle, you looked so... Dead..." - I'm sorry to disappoint you. He said with a little smile on his head. I slapped him and yelled:

- "Don't you understand I love you!? I cried in the nights afraid you might not wake up... I came here every day to see you, only to leave with the image of you lying on that bed, lifeless and pale! I cried so lot for you... Yet... Yet you say that to me after you wake up..." Tears were running down my cheek as I beat my fists on to him as he sat on his bed, all my force drained out of my body.

- "I-I had no idea... I'm sorry to make you sad... But please, tears do not fit that pretty face of yours." He placed his hand under my chin and raised my head towards him.

- "Come on. Smile a little for me, please?"  
I let out a smile which clearly cheered him up.

- "You said the same thing after the battle..."

- "Huh?"

- "You told me that tears won't fit my face after I rushed to you after the battle."

- "I truly meant it there... As I mean it now." He raised my head and lowered his own. Our lips met each other as we kissed passionately. I placed my arms around him, grabbing his back. I leaned my head on to his chest and we just sit there for a while like that. I looked up to him and saw him staring at me.

- "You're truly beautiful when you smile." I raised my head for another kiss. As we held our eyes closed, I dreamed of future. He was not asleep anymore, he was awake! I could fulfill my dreams, spend my life with him. I kept dreaming until we stopped the kiss. After few more kisses I fell asleep on his chest.

I woke in the morning when the sunrays started to hit my eyes. I looked around and saw Card staring out the window. I walked towards him, as silent as I could.

- "Good morning, honey." I said and hugged her from behind.

- "I never expected you to say that... But I can not say I would be unhappy by it."

- "Will you go back to your mission now? Please say you won't..."

- "I am afraid I'll have to. Though, I will try my best to stay here with you." We kissed each other as the sun rose.

Two weeks after that I was arranged into marriage. Not with Wild Card though. I was angry at my family and ran away to my loved one's place. There I found empty house with a letter on the table:  
" _I am sorry to do this, but I am afraid there is no choice. I have heard of the marriage you're being arranged to. For your and your familys sake I decided it will be the best for me to disappear. I'm from a poor family of gypsies... I hope you'll understand this one day. I did this for your sake. If you want to respect my last wish, please name your child after me when you have one. I will come for you if your husband-to-be is to die of natural causes before you. If I have any reason to believe you killed your husband, I will stay away from you for the rest of our lives. _  
_I still love you forever._  
_Ps. I will leave the 37 musketeers left alive from the big battle to your command. They're aware of my decision, but I haven't told them where I'm headed off to._  
_Wild Card_"

I tried asking around and went to ask if he had went back to Noxus, but I heard they haven't heard anything from him since the information he got out of hospital. I tried asking his men, but they knew nothing. And they were sad about it as well. I never saw him again. I later got a child, but I wasn't sure if it's father was Wild Card or my husband. My wish to name him after Wild Card was rejected by the whole family. I kept searching for him for the rest of my live. But as he was an expert to find out about things, he also was an expert to hide them. My husband died of an old age. Though I'm afraid Wild Card might already have been dead by the time my husband died. I'm now writing this diary one last time. Unless I meet him one day I will not write another thing here. But I'm also afraid my time is coming to an end.  
I just remembered he never called me by my first name... I was always Miss Laurent for him...

Fiora Laurent closed the old diary she had found, her cheeks being as red as the lava from the Magma Chamber.

- "I hate him... I hate that womanizer!" She said while clinching her hand into a fist


End file.
